Welcome to Germany
Learn the rules of life in Germany – registration, work, insurance and more in one place.
Living and working in Germany
If you are a Polish citizen (i.e. EU) and want to legally live and work in Germany, you do indeed need to take care of some formalities. Here is a comprehensive list of the most important things to do after arriving in Germany:
1. Registration
- You must register with the city office (Bürgeramt) within 14 days of moving in.
- You will need: passport or ID card, rental agreement, sometimes confirmation from the landlord ( Wohnungsgeberbestätigung ).
2. Bank account (Account at the Bank)
- Necessary for receiving wages, paying rent, contributions, etc.
- You can open an account in a traditional bank or online (e.g. N26, DKB, Commerzbank).
3. Health Insurance
- Mandatory. You can choose a public health insurance fund (e.g. AOK, TK, Barmer) or a private one – depending on your status (student, employee, freelancer).
- You must choose an insurer before you start working or studying.
4. Tax ID (tax identification number)
- Assigned automatically after check-in – arrives by mail within a few days.
- Needed for employment and tax settlements.
5. Social insurance number
- Needed for work and the pension system.
- Issued by Deutsche Rentenversicherung (automatically when the employer first registers for insurance or can be applied for independently).
6. Car registration in Germany
If you move to Germany permanently and bring your car from Poland, you are obliged to re-register it with German license plates within 6 months of registering your residence in Germany (i.e. of filing your Anmeldung).
What to do:
- Go to the Vehicle Registration Office (communications department)
- Introduce:
- Vehicle registration certificate (parts I and II)
- Identity document
- Proof of residence registration
- Current technical inspection certificate (if the car is older than 3 years)
- Confirmation of vehicle insurance in Germany (so-called eVB-Nummer)
- Registration fee
- After a positive decision, you will receive German registration numbers and must mount them on your vehicle.
7. Car insurance
Every vehicle registered in Germany must have compulsory third party liability insurance. Without valid insurance, it is not possible to register a vehicle.
You can also purchase:
- Partial coverage insurance – partial AC insurance (e.g. theft, weather damage)
- Comprehensive coverage insurance – full AC (especially recommended for new cars)
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